Red Head Duck, from the Game Birds series (N40) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1888 - 1890

This is “Red Head Duck” from the Game Birds series (N40) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. These cards, popular in the late 19th century, offer more than just images of birds; they reflect a society grappling with industrialization, urbanization, and shifting cultural values. These cigarette cards were originally aimed at upper and middle class white men. This card romanticizes nature, offering an escape from the harsh realities of urban life. Yet, it's also a commodity, part of the burgeoning consumer culture that drove industrial expansion, masking the environmental cost of the mass production of cigarettes. The detailed rendering of the duck, set against a serene landscape, evokes a sense of nostalgia for a simpler, more natural world. This is a world where the relationship between humans and nature wasn’t mediated by commerce. The emotional pull of this imagery lies in its simultaneous celebration and commodification of the natural world. It’s also worth noting that this image of nature hides how nature has been, and continues to be, racialized, gendered, and classed.